Who's That Pokémon? (Japanese: だれだ？Who is it?) is a question-and-answer segment that is featured in numerous episodes of the Pokémon anime. It has also been posted by the official Facebook and Twitter Pokémon accounts and appeared in Pokémon X and Y as the puzzle for the Lumiose Gym.

Contents

History

English dub

In the English dub, Who's That Pokémon? was originally used from the episodes of Pokémon - I Choose You! to Watt's with Wattson; the segment later returned in In The Shadow of Zekrom!, after an almost seven year absence. It occurs before and after the main commercial break during the episode. The silhouette of a Pokémon is shown, with someone usually asking the audience to guess the Pokémon that belongs to the given outline. After the commercial break, the name of the Pokémon is revealed with, usually, the current main characters shouting the name of the Pokémon, and the cry of the Pokémon shown can be heard. The segment was retired at the end of the sixth season of the anime and was replaced with Pokémon Trainer's Choice, which was dropped from the dub after two seasons. At the beginning of the Pokémon: Black & White series, Who's That Pokémon? began to be featured again. It initially did not feature the Pokémon's cry after being revealed, although this returned in Triple Leaders, Team Threats. For an unknown reason, Who's That Pokémon? was removed from the CITV airings of the first two episodes of Pokémon: Black & White. All episodes following use a slight international variation, showing the silhouette of the Pokémon as would be expected at the mid-way point of the episode, and revealing the Pokémon just before the end credits.

Early in its run, Who's That Pokémon? would feature a Pokémon who played a major role in that episode. In late Kanto it switched to featuring a Pokémon that played a major role in the following episode, although this wasn't always the case. When Johto League Champions began, Who's That Pokémon? became random, with the Pokémon being featured usually not playing a prominent role in that episode, nor did it indicate a Pokémon being featured in a following episode. Also beginning with that season, the dub added a short hint to the screen to aid in the identification of the Pokémon. When the feature returned in Pokémon: Black & White, it originally featured a Pokémon that played a prominent role in the following episode before quickly switching to a Pokémon with a prominent role in that episode beginning with A Sandile Gusher of Change!.

Original Japanese version

Pocket Monster TV version two

In the original Japanese version of the show, Who's That Pokémon? was used from EP001 to EP274 and then returned in BW061. In this version, it almost always featured a Pokémon that played a major role in that episode.

Starting in EP192, the segment was renamed Pocket Monster TV (written in English from EP211). There was no functional difference; however, the kids' voices were replaced with a computerized voice, the background was changed, and it showed the featured Pokémon's National Pokédex number. From EP211, the segment was revamped again, with the following segments being in widescreen. EP192 through EP210 were later altered to the updated version of Pocket Monster TV when released on VHS.

In the XY series, the segment is slightly modified. Now called Pokémon Quiz, the segment presents the viewer with four flashcards bearing different silhouettes and asks them to identify the correct Pokémon. One card is always Team Rocket as a decoy choice.

Trivia

In the Japanese version, there are several occasions where the segment intentionally tricks the audience.

In versions outside of North America created from the American dub of Pokémon: Black & White, the second part of Who's That Pokémon? is shown at the end of the episode instead of straight after the commercial break. This is likely done because several TV channels don't broadcast the commercials in the same break as the U.S. version.

Many of the Who's That Pokémon? chosen for the international Johto Journeys episodes, especially earlier in the season, provide some foreshadowing by featuring the Pokémon that would be the subject of the next episode.

However, Pokémon: Black & White episodes that air on Cartoon Network (or used to air on Pogo TV) are (or were) also shown sometimes without commercial breaks. Even though, they used to air the segment.